


memento vivere.

by Suli



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Familiars, Fluff, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Witchcraft, Witches, this is a work for my soul, very much inspired by my cat cuz i miss her
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2018-12-14
Packaged: 2019-09-18 01:03:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16985172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Suli/pseuds/Suli
Summary: Love is the easiest magic there is





	memento vivere.

**Author's Note:**

> this was so much fun to write because i absolutely adore witchcraft and this whole idea helped me get through some stress so i hope you enjoy it!  
> i don't know too much about familiars other than the basics so i'm very sorry if some things are inaccurate!

Jihoon had always been one to love the scent of herbs wafting through his windows, the twittering of birds in the early morning, the softness of the clouds drifting by, and the twinkling of the stars in the darkest of nights. They were comforting, the only constants in the hectic, chaotic world he lived in.

 

Nature, for as long as he could remember, was the only friend he could truly talk to. He loved his friends more than he could ever express, but a see-through wall which Jihoon could  _ always _ sense always dropped down between them whenever he tried to alleviate the heaviness in his heart.

The Earth, however, she would listen readily. He would whisper the secrets held in the depths of his soul to the wind, and the leaves would chatter back in a soft whisper. It wasn’t necessarily enough, but it helped.

 

It was what drew him to witchcraft. Nature gave him the energy to think, to believe, that things could get better. That  _ he _ could make things get better. That he was powerful enough to do so. Drinking tea under the moonlight, drawing sigils into the inside of his wrist, playing around with spell sachets, it made him feel in control. It painted his world in the softest, calmest colours; realigning his thoughts and balancing all the energy that tended to build up inside of him.

 

But when the tiredness that begun so long ago clung to him like a veil over his skin, applying a grey, cold filter to the world, it made everything so much more difficult. He didn’t feel so at peace anymore when watching the petals, twigs, and leaves dance in the wind. His spells didn’t work as he wanted them to anymore, his energy more out of balance than ever. Where he would typically feel joy and warmth, there was only a creeping sorrow sitting on his skin like the fiercest winter rain.

Jihoon knew he should call one of his friends - be it nature or human - to ask for a portion of the warmth he needed to keep pushing forward. But he couldn’t. Instead, he let it come, little by little until he feels like he’s trapped under a collapsing wave so big it blocks out the sun, the stars, and the moon.

 

He’d always been told that none of this would last forever, that one day the last drop would fall. But it didn’t take long for Jihoon to stop caring. He would still try his spells, still work hard in everything he loved, but he didn’t do anything to end the cold numbness. He simply endured it.

 

♡

 

It was a cold, dark autumn afternoon, and Jihoon entered his small apartment soaking wet. He’d seen the dark clouds but thought he’d make it home in time before it started raining. He was very wrong. Rain started hurtling down so suddenly it made Jihoon let out a yelp of surprise right in the middle of the street. He walked as quickly as he could, through the frigid rain and hard pieces of hail, until he finally reached his apartment.

That shock was all it took for Jihoon to lose every bit of energy he had. He trudged to his bedroom, stripping himself of his soaked clothes and putting on warm, fresh ones: a large hoodie and his warmest pair of sweatpants. His plan for the evening had originally been to read a little, perhaps even work on a new tea brew he’d been wanting to test out; but with his now pounding head and already drooping eyelids, he just wanted to take a nap.

 

But despite his fatigue, Jihoon felt a sudden need to go check on his herbs. He had a little herb garden growing on his balcony, and it was his pride and joy. He’d created a little nook for himself among the thriving plants, and sitting there with a cup of tea was the most beautiful experience one could ever have.

The need had arisen out of nowhere, and Jihoon was tempted to just ignore it and nap anyway. But he felt a pull, a pull just strong enough that he couldn’t push it out of his mind long enough to shut his eyes for more than five seconds at a time. To put his mind at rest, he sighed, pushing himself up and off the couch, grabbing the umbrella that was near the front door before walking behind the couch to get to the sliding door.

 

Jihoon had only expected to spend a few minutes looking over his herbs, making sure they were still healthy and that none of them were suffering too much under the rain and hail. What he definitely  _ hadn’t _ expected was to see a pair of hazel eyes staring at him from the shadows behind his pots.

 

‘ _ It would appear _ ,’ thought Jihoon to himself, ‘ _ That someone has taken a liking to my plants. _ ’

 

Jihoon crouched down, wanting to get a better look at the clearly fluffy creature hiding among his plants. Its eyes were huge, hazel with flecks of a dark, warm brown. Jihoon assumed its fur would be soft and long were it not dripping wet. That was about all Jihoon could make out, the shadows doing quite the wonderful job of hiding the rest of the creature’s features.

 

Jihoon smiled a small smile, holding out his umbrella just a little further.

“Hey there,” he said softly, if a little awkwardly, “It’s okay, you won’t get wet.”

 

Jihoon’s smile widened just a little; because though it took the creature a little while to come out from its little hideout, he saw that it was a cat. And more than that, it looked healthy. It wasn’t too skinny, a little more on the thin side than Jihoon would’ve liked, but it was healthier than a lot of the stray cats he’d seen around. Its nose was a soft pink, and its fur was a pristine white. He watched the cat quietly and patiently as it sniffed his fingers and shoes, waiting for it to feel comfortable.

His heart sank a little as the cat sat stiffly as far away from Jihoon as possible while still staying underneath the umbrella. But the sinking feeling was quickly overshadowed by curiosity as he noticed the collar around the cat’s neck. It took a little craning of the neck, but Jihoon managed to read the name engraved on the black leather.

“Jeonghan,” he hummed, looking at the cat as warmly as he could. “Is that your name?”

 

The cat simply blinked at him, still stiff and tense. He didn’t look much older than a year to Jihoon, perhaps two at the most. Now that he had a better look at him, Jihoon noticed that Jeonghan’s eyes were deep, almost supernaturally so. They looked like they held libraries, forests, galaxies within them.

 

A sudden gust of wind surprised Jihoon. It was almost enough to tear the umbrella from his grasp, and perhaps even take him with it. He shivered strongly, feeling pink bloom across his cheeks from the biting cold.

 

Jihoon looked at the sliding door behind him, then back at Jeonghan, who showed no signs of moving any closer.

“Well, I can hardly drag you inside… but I can’t leave you in the storm either,” mumbled Jihoon, drawing his bottom lip between his teeth as his brow furrowed, his mind hard at work.

 

Slowly, so as not to startle the already tense Jeonghan, Jihoon reached out his arms and balanced the umbrella between two pots and the wall of the balcony.

“It’ll probably blow over with another strong gust of wind,” Jihoon continued to mumble as he worked, “But at least this way you’ll be out of the rain for a little while.”

 

Jihoon wrapped his arms around his torso with a satisfied sigh. He looked back down at Jeonghan, who was still staring at him with those deep eyes of his and gave the cat a quick, tight smile before getting up.

 

“You know,” started Jihoon as he walked back inside. His voice was still soft, so much so it was almost swallowed up by the wind. “You could always come in. If you want somewhere warm until the storm lets up.”

 

Closing the sliding door, Jihoon froze, and smiled widely, the widest he ever had in a long, long time. When he turned around upon entering his apartment, he found that Jeonghan was no longer where he had been seemingly glued in place. Instead, he was right by the door, staring up at Jihoon as though asking permission.

 

“After you,” said Jihoon softly, opening the door just a little wider, eyes crinkling as he patiently watched Jeonghan walk tentatively into his apartment, curling up next to the radiator.

 

♡

 

“Hey, I misplaced my scissors. Again. Can you use your claws to open this for me? Thanks.”

 

Even after three days, the storm was still raging on. Jihoon was confined to his small apartment, only able to go to his balcony for quick spurts. He would be lying if he said he was comfortable, if he said that he didn’t constantly feel trapped, like the walls were slowly but surely closing in on him, like the very air he breathed was stale and poisoned.

 

He never could have expected it, but Jeonghan helped. As long as Jeonghan was there, he wouldn’t have to stay cooped up all alone. As long as Jeonghan was there, he had something else to focus on other than his mind. As long as Jeonghan was there, he had a reason to get out of bed in the morning (because Jeonghan would become  _ insufferable _ if he went too long without food).

 

After making Jeonghan his breakfast, Jihoon sat at his small kitchen table and simply watched the cat eat. He didn’t have any cat food, and could hardly go out in the storm to get some, so he heated some leftover chicken and hoped that would be okay. He found it calming, to watch Jeonghan eat, the sounds of heavy rain filling the apartment. Remembering how just a few days ago, Jeonghan would refuse to eat if he was anywhere in sight, Jihoon smiled, happy that the cat seemed more comfortable, and definitely far healthier.

 

Jihoon was so far inside his own head that he didn’t notice that Jeonghan had moved until the cat jumped up onto the table right in front of him. Surprised, Jihoon jumped back in his seat, staring at the pair of hazel eyes in front of him.

In his mouth, Jeonghan carried a paper bag. It contained all the pastries Jihoon had bought before the storm. He had intended to finish them over the week, as they would save him from having to prepare breakfast, but Jihoon had barely touched any of them.

Jeonghan set the paper bag down in front of Jihoon and sat back as he began licking his front paws. All the while, Jihoon was looking at the cat with a disbelieving look on his face.

 

“How…” started Jihoon, pointing to his kitchen counter. “How did you even get that?”

 

Though he didn’t quite know why, Jihoon started laughing, a light, breathy laugh that made his shoulders shake with mirth. He pushed the bag to the side slightly and leaned in towards the cat, placing his chin on his interlocked fingers.

 

“You’re not doing this to distract me from making sure you’ve finished your food, have you?” chuckled Jihoon, tilting his head playfully. “Have you eaten well Jeonghan?”

Jeonghan meowed at him, and Jihoon laughed even more because all he could think was that if Jeonghan were human, there would definitely be a pout in his voice.

 

“Fine, I believe you,” sighed Jihoon. Leaning back in his seat, he grabbed the paper bag, and pulled out a small pastry. “Guess it’s my turn then.”

 

Jihoon was surprised at how easy it was for him to stomach the pastry. After laughing he felt… lighter; like there wasn’t a weight occupying every inch of his stomach. In fact, when he finished that pastry, he actually felt like he could eat another.

 

As he ate, Jihoon furrowed his brow at Jeonghan. The cat couldn’t seem to keep his paws off his neck, almost resorting to bearing his claws at the risk of injuring himself.

“Is it your collar?” asked Jihoon around a mouthful of food. “Is it bothering you?”

 

Jeonghan didn’t offer much of a response, instead continuing to tensely paw at his neck.

“Here,” offered Jihoon, reaching out his hand. “Let me get that for you.”

 

Jihoon wiped the crumbs off his hands and moved the paper bag aside to get a better view of Jeonghan. The cat tensed as Jihoon reached for the collar, every muscle in his body freezing.

Jihoon giggled, flashing Jeonghan a quick grin. “Relax. I’m just going to help.”

 

It took some searching and fiddling, but Jihoon finally found the buckle to the collar. As gentle as he could, careful not to accidentally pull on Jeonghan’s fur, he slid the leather strip out from the buckle. Jeonghan appeared to immediately relax more than Jihoon had ever seen him become. Moving just a little further away from Jihoon, the cat curled around himself and started purring loudly and happily as he fell asleep.

 

Jihoon’s eyes crinkled at the sight, but his smile faded as his gaze shifted to examine the collar. It was simple enough, the only slightly unusual thing being that Jeonghan’s name was engraved in the leather itself. But Jihoon couldn’t help but feel uneasy holding it, like it held a malicious curse.

 

“I can’t throw it away,” muttered Jihoon, his bottom lip finding its way between his front teeth, “What if someone comes looking for you? But still…”

 

He had bitten his lip until he almost drew blood before he settled on what to do.

 

_ ‘I’m being paranoid,’  _ thought Jihoon as he came back to the kitchen with an old, visibly beaten up wooden box. He couldn’t quite remember how the box came to be in his possession, but he was very quick to find a use for it. One sleepless night, he busied himself with carving protective sigils into one side of the box. And just like that, it became a dumping box for any object that would bring more, unnecessary stress into Jihoon’s life until he felt the sigils had worked their magic.

“There we go,” mumbled Jihoon as he dropped the collar into the box. “Now it can’t hurt either of us even if it wanted to.”

 

Feeling as though a load had been lifted, Jihoon sat back, watching the rain drip down the window. If he hadn’t been confined to his apartment for so long, he would’ve found the rain more comforting, the petrichor refreshing his senses and cooling his nerves. But for the first time in a while, he found himself wishing the rain would end so he could get on with things.

 

“Wait,” started Jihoon, struck with an idea. Even Jeonghan cracked open his eyes, as though prompting him to continue. “I’ve never tried working with stormwater before. Might as well try it out now that I have the chance.”

 

Filled with newfound energy, Jihoon grabbed the first cup he could find (plastic so that it wouldn’t hurt anyone if the wind whisked it away) and put it on the windowsill near his kitchen table. He had to stretch a little bit, the window being just a little out of reach, but when the deed was done, he sat back, finally satisfied.

 

Jeonghan seemed happy with the fact that the window had a sill just big enough for him to sit on, and promptly jumped up onto it, much to Jihoon’s dismay.

“Jeonghan!” he cried. “Get down, you’ll get sick!”

 

But when Jihoon tried to get Jeonghan down back onto the table, he gave him a whine, clearly not interested in moving from his spot any time soon.

“Fine,” huffed Jihoon, “But if you get sick don’t come crying to me.”

 

As hard as he tried, Jihoon couldn’t keep the small smile off his face for long; not when Jeonghan was sitting there so contentedly, his paws tucked underneath his belly, making him look like a fluffy loaf of bread.

 

♡

 

“Every time you wake me up in the middle of the night, the urge to somehow fight you increases  _ exponentially _ .”

 

Jihoon’s frustration was only slightly misdirected; the truth was he hadn’t even been asleep. He was barely drifting in and out of consciousness when Jeonghan crawled onto his chest, shocking him wide awake.

Jeonghan nudged his chin with the top of his head in apology, and Jihoon giggled, running a hand through the cat’s soft, long fur. 

 

That had been two hours ago. Now, at two in the morning, Jihoon was trying to make a spell bag to help him sleep. And when Jihoon actually practised witchcraft at two in the morning, he was  _ really _ desperate. 

 

“I hate to tell you this,” sighed Jihoon, after whispering his intent to the bag. “But we’ve left out like five items. And I don’t really have anything convenient to charge this with. I don’t think this is gonna turn out the way we want it to, but let’s give it a shot I guess.”

 

The bag had been out of Jihoon’s grasp for less than five seconds, but Jeonghan was already sniffing it, even sneaking a few licks before Jihoon caught him.

“Jeonghan! Don’t lick that!” he yelled, snatching the bag away from the cat. “There’s lavender oil on that and it might make you sick!”

 

Hiding the spell bag under his pillow, Jihoon took Jeonghan’s face in his hands, scratching gently behind his whiskers.

“Are you okay Jeonghan?” he said softly and gently, feeling bad for startling the cat. “Nothing hurts, right?”

 

Jihoon heaved a heavy sigh, running his fingers through Jeonghan’s fur as he thought out loud.

“You have to understand that you’re the only living thing, other than my plants, I’ve gotten close to in years. Given the circumstances, we have to take care of each other. So please don’t get hurt, Hannie…”

 

Purring happily, Jeonghan weaved himself in between Jihoon’s hands, curling up right in his lap. Jihoon pouted, rather exaggeratedly, feigning hurt that the cat hadn’t been listening to a word he said.

“Hannie,” he whined, “I was talking! And how do you expect me to sleep when you worried me?”

 

Making Jihoon roll his eyes, Jeonghan rolled onto his back, stretching his limbs out far before bringing them close in. Jihoon scratched the cat’s forehead, reaching out with his other hand to turn off the light.

 

“You better wake me up if you start feeling sick,” muttered Jihoon. And though he started falling asleep almost as soon as his head touched the pillow, he kept a hand on Jeonghan, the touch of the cat’s fur a greater comfort to him than even he knew.

 

♡

 

After almost a week of heavy rain, the storm  _ finally _ let up. The dark grey clouds broke apart, leaving only a few, fluffy, white clouds that held a subtle hint of purple to announce the soon coming sunset.

 

Jihoon was overjoyed. He missed being outside, feeling the late autumn breeze make pink roses bloom on his cheeks. And he was sure Jeonghan was just itching to get some fresh air too.

 

When he was certain the rain had stopped for good, Jihoon carried a small, plastic chair out to his balcony. As soon as he opened the sliding door, a wave of fresh fragrances washed over him, making every single muscle in his face and body instantly relax. The smell of the rain mixed with the subtle scent of his herbs was absolutely beautiful, and Jihoon couldn’t be happier.

Just as he expected, Jeonghan trotted over to the balcony as soon as Jihoon opened the door. He stood between Jihoon’s feet, enjoying the cold, fresh air just as serenely.

 

As the sun set, Jihoon quickly checked over his plants, grateful none of them got horribly damaged in the storm. Satisfied, he sat in the chair with a deep, relaxed exhale. His smile widened as Jeonghan hopped up to sit in his lap. 

 

The darkness of the night swallowing them up, broken up only by the white tea candles he had lit, Jihoon found himself whispering a spell as he scratched behind Jeonghan’s ears.

 

_ “I, made from earth, fire, water, and air, _

_ For a purpose, I was declared, _

_ To bring the world be-” _

 

All of a sudden, his tongue grew heavy in his mouth. He sputtered and stammered before stopping, eyes growing wide and hands freezing.

“I’ve… I’ve never messed up a spell that badly,” said Jihoon, his voice trembling from the shock. “I can’t believe it…”

 

Feeling a softness at the base of his chest, Jihoon looked down to find Jeonghan stretching in his lap, his paws pressing gently against his sweater. The cat made a sound halfway in between a purr and a meow, and Jihoon could help but let out a breathy laugh.

 

He scooped the purring cat into his arms, burying his mouth and nose into the top of Jeonghan’s head, but not before placing a small kiss there.

“It’s okay, right?” whispered Jihoon. “Nothing bad’s gonna happen, right? And you love me, right? I’ve never needed to doubt that before, why should I now?”

 

Still carrying the purring cat close in his arms, Jihoon found himself whispering the spell once more, the words coming not from his throat, but from something deep, deep inside him.

 

_ “I, made from earth, fire, water, and air _

_ For a purpose, I was declared _

_ To bring the world beauty and light, _

_ To remind everyone of why it is bright.” _

 

Jihoon looked up at the night sky, littered with beautiful, blinking fairy lights. It was an especially dark night, and the stars were shining so brightly their brilliance reflected off Jihoon and Jeonghan’s dilated pupils.

A small smile softening his features, Jihoon looked from the stars to Jeonghan, and his smile deepened.

 

After the raging storm, there remained a serenity so potent even Jihoon’s plants seemed content and centred.

 

♡

 

Shedding himself of the remaining glimpses of a dream, Jihoon felt soft sheets and the morning sun on his face as he awoke. His eyes remained shut as he took several deep breaths, soaking in the warmth of his covers as long as he could.

Slowly and reluctantly, he opened his eyes to let them see the sun’s rays. He blinked, closed his eyes briefly, and blinked again. He sat up, dragging his feet off the bed, and rubbed the remnants of the dream from his eyes. Stretching his arms above his head, he suddenly froze.

 

On his desk, right by his bedroom window, there sat a man.

 

“Um…” said Jihoon, the sound of confusion escaping his throat before he could stop it.

 

The man turned towards him, and the small, serene smile on his face widened. His skin was slightly tanned, almost honey like. His eyes didn’t reflect the sunlight so much as capture it, the dark orbs shining and glistening. He was wearing a white sweater, and that matched with his short, blonde, wavy hair made him look  _ absolutely _ angelic.

 

“Good morning, Jihoon,” said the man, his voice soft and sweet. 

“H-Hi,” stammered Jihoon, his mind going in circles. “Who are you?”

“If I told you, you might not believe me,” replied the man. His voice now carried a hint of sadness, melancholy. 

“Might as well try,” said Jihoon, rubbing his eye with his palm.

 

The man’s smile persisted, and he swivelled on the desk to face Jihoon fully. The anxiety that didn’t show in his face was evident in his shoulders, in the way they were hunched and tensed.

 

“What do you know about familiars, Jihoon?” asked the man.

“They’re animals that help witches with their magic, right? That’s about all I really know…”

“You’re pretty much right. A familiar is a witch’s companion, a supernatural being, usually in animal form, who helps in their practice. But there’s a part few know.

 

“Familiars can turn human, but it’s not so easy. For a familiar to achieve human form, they have to feel deeply,  _ truly _ loved by their witch. Otherwise, they remain in their animal form all throughout their life.”

 

Jihoon’s breath caught in his throat. His eyes grew wide, and his hands started shaking. He didn’t know how he didn’t see them before, the unmistakeable libraries, forests, and galaxies tucked into the man’s eyes, but now they were all Jihoon could see.

He suddenly knew  _ exactly _ who the man sitting opposite him was.

 

“Jeonghan?” he whispered.

 

Jeonghan’s face flooded with absolute joy. He had known the  _ second _ he woke up that morning that Jihoon would know him, would believe him. He knew it when he woke up to feel his fingers, his bare arms touching the soft material of the sofa. He knew it when he woke up remembering Jihoon’s words, feeling how they brought lightness and warmth to his chest.

 

_ “And you love me, right? I’ve never needed to doubt that before, why should I now?” _

 

“It’s me, Jihoonie.”

 

Jihoon crossed the distance between them in three quick steps that were almost like leaps. Tenderly and gently, he reached up to take Jeonghan’s face in his hands. His cheeks were warm, in fact, his whole body seemed to emanate an other-worldly warmth. Jihoon traced his temples, his cheekbones, but frowned and froze when his fingers met Jeonghan’s jaw.

Blemishing the honey-like skin, there was a deep, purple bruise, right underneath Jeonghan’s ear. And it wasn’t the only one. Bruises littered his collarbone, some blue, some purple, some yellow. Jihoon pulled down the collar of his sweater to reveal a large, blue bruise almost covering Jeonghan’s shoulder. Jihoon just  _ knew _ there would be more up his arms, across his chest, along his back.

 

“Why are you so hurt?” asked Jihoon, looking up at Jeonghan with worried, upset eyes.

 

Jeonghan took Jihoon’s hands into his, explaining in a soft, gentle, loving tone.

“It’s normal for anyone to be exposed to bad energy, but the sheer quantity that was coming for you… I didn’t want it to hurt you. I care about you too much for that.”

 

“So you got hurt instead?”

Jeonghan giggled, and it was the sweetest melody to Jihoon’s ears. “They look more painful than they actually are Jihoon, don’t worry about me.”

 

Jihoon looked at the ground, swaying his hands, intertwined with Jeonghan’s, back and forth as he tried to wrap his head around everything.

 

“I don’t get it,” he mumbled. “I never thought I was capable of that sort of love even if I really wanted it. I feel like I could’ve treated you better.”

 

Jeonghan lifted Jihoon’s face so their gazes met, and gave him a brilliant, warm grin.

“Not everything has to make sense, Jihoonie,” he cooed. “In fact, I think right now, it’s best they don’t. But if it makes you feel better, I know you don’t show your love in the most obvious ways, but I understand you completely. It’s okay.”

 

Jihoon smiled, rocking back and forth on his heels. The whole situation was still so… strange. It was so odd to him and would probably continue to be for a good length of time. But he couldn’t say he was unhappy. In fact, this was probably the happiest he’d been in a long time.

 

“Should we get some breakfast?” offered Jihoon.

“ _ Yes _ please, I’m  _ so _ hungry,” replied Jeonghan, making Jihoon bark out a laugh.

 

♡

 

“Thank you,” said Jihoon. He said it so quietly it was almost although he was talking to his breakfast. 

 

“For what?” inquired Jeonghan around a mouthful of food.

“For a lot,” replied Jihoon, his voice dripping in the purest form of genuineness. “For all the nights you stayed up with me when I couldn’t sleep. They made a difference, they really did. It was hard being cooped up during the storm, but you helped. You have this weird ability to make me feel like I’m safe and at home no matter what. So thank you.”

 

Jeonghan was frozen, Jihoon’s words rendering him speechless. He put down his fork and leaned in as close to Jihoon as the table would allow.

“You don’t have to thank me for anything Jihoonie, I mean it. I could feel how hard that storm was on you. But the worst came and went, and here you are, still holding on. The days where you would forget to smile, forget to eat, they were only a week or so ago, but compared to where you are now, they seem like a different lifetime, don’t they? I’m proud of you; you’ve come so, so far.”

 

Tears sprung to Jihoon’s eyes, no matter how hard he tried to stop them. Jeonghan smiled and took Jihoon’s face in his hands.

 

“Don’t cry Jihoonie! It’s okay! And anyway,  _ I _ should be the one thanking  _ you _ .”

Jihoon frowned, tilting his head to the side in curiosity. “How come?”

“You gave me food and a warm, dry place to stay, but what’s more than that, you made me feel needed, wanted. I ran away from my old witch. He was selfish, and for us familiars, that’s the worst kind of torture: knowing you won’t ever turn human. I lost all hope, but you helped me get it back.”

“I really didn’t do much,” murmured Jihoon.

“You might not think you did, but trust me, you did so much. More than you could ever know.”

 

“I guess we were what each other needed,” said Jihoon softly, his breath coming out as a quiet chuckle.

“We really are,” agreed Jeonghan, intertwining his fingers with Jihoon’s.

 

♡

 

“I’m still trying to get used to you not being a cat anymore.”

 

Jihoon and Jeonghan were curled up on the couch, a movie playing softly in the background. But they weren’t really focusing on it. They simply enjoyed being in each other’s company.

 

“Hmm?” hummed Jeonghan.

“Well, for one, I’m no longer the tallest living thing in this apartment.”

 

Jeonghan laughed heartily, pulling Jihoon closer against his chest, wrapping his arms tighter around him.

 

“I think I like your human form more though,” continued Jihoon. “You’re really warm. I like it.”

 

This was further incentive for Jeonghan to hold Jihoon closer, to keep him warm and protect him from the cold. And the warmth seemed to be doing good for Jihoon - he was already starting to drift off, though it was barely even ten o’ clock.

 

“How long until your bruises fade?” pouted Jihoon, sleepily tracing one of the bruises on Jeonghan’s forearms.

“Shh,” cooed Jeonghan. “Don’t worry about them. Get some sleep Jihoonie.”

 

“Hannie?” started Jihoon after a few minutes of silence. There was an urgency to his voice, clearly stopping him from drifting off.

“Yeah?”

“When you said you cared, you meant it, right?”

 

Jeonghan smiled warmly at Jihoon, turning his face gently to press his lips to his forehead gently, sweetly, and fondly.

“Of course I did. I love you Jihoonie.”

 

Jihoon smiled as his eyelids started slipping shut. His face was buried in his chest, but his words, despite being heavy with sleep, were crystal clear to Jeonghan.

 

“I love you too Hannie.”

**Author's Note:**

> i hope you enjoyed reading this as much as i enjoyed writing it!
> 
> please leave kudos/comments if you enjoyed !!
> 
> thank you for reading! ♡


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